No Two Are Alike....

I've been lucky to live in a place that has an abundance of backyard pools. There's an artform to finding, draining, and riding them that cannot be experienced through skateparks. You have to realize that these gems were not meant to be skated, and the thought of a perfect transition is not what was in the idea behind building them. And the feeling of accomplishment of grinding them is something that cannot be put into words. No matter how many times you take the same line, every run at it is different, and the need to take a different aproach is essential. Learning to go at the walls at an angle in hopes of drawing out a transition is the only way to make it to the tiles. Once you figure it out, a new world opens up, and a love for hearing your trucks barking on raw concrete is a reward that few can understand. Just the mission of locating these gems and draining them is an adventure all in itself. I will always have a fascination with these holes in the desert, and cannot wait to get back and leave my mark. Baker photo of me finding "Light After Death".

No Limit

Some things are so simple, but get so clouded and confusing when ego and a need for attention get thrown in the mix. Once we drop the selfish desires, we can see a bigger picture and begin to work together. Unity through a common desire and a mutual appreciation is easily attainable once we drop the curtain and use it as shelter for one another. I got this picture from my good friend Pod, from his trip to Orcas w/ local ripper and Trife Street emmisary, Binger. It really speaks to me, and I hope it does to you as well.

the best thing to ever happen to the midsouth --->click here:
goner records

more lake shots

a couple more from arkansassy

50kent lured us away and we crossed this bridge chasing sleazy steve to the dead deer ramp


misty eyed surprise - kent says "don't be bummed"

covers

i just realized i forgot to post the cover of sharkbait #41, az's good buddy, brian mcnair gets it with what i think is a pivot fakie on a gnarly wall. if ever in oklahoma, go by and say hi to him in tulsa at the board shop - voted the best skate shop in tulsa by urban people magazine! check him out on facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Board-Shop/136765910547?v=wall#!/pages/The-Board-Shop/136765910547?v=info

velvet

art is amazing. i buy velvet art poster kits and color them. i've even developed my own shading technique. and i think it would be fun to learn how to make my own velvet art... somewhere on this blog there are pictures of a few posters i've done...

anyway, last night we went to off square books and saw this amazing book...


here are a few of the highlights... believe me, there were tons more, and i will post them once i own this book.

first of all, hulk hogan velvet art? i have to wonder if this person was a huge fan or thought "this is so ridiculous, people will love it"


this is pretty amazing, so amazing i'd love to see someone get this as a backpiece


wow, you're hiding in the mane of a unicorn

carp-e diem

"there are sunny beaches in your future"

robin got this fortune when we went to big bowl about a month ago, i told her she was heading to sardis... looks i made it there first!

i used to spend a lot of time at this lake when i was a teenager. it was the hot spot on the weekend. rarely did we venture to the beautiful parts of the lake, mainly hanging around the "beach" where all the "action" was... so lame now that i think about it! haha... anyway, as an adult, i've learned to appreciate the true action at the lake. we went last weekend and had a blast just walking around, combing the sand, listening to the seagulls, and peering over the water... i can't wait to go back! next time i will take the real camera and binoculars. this is my favorite shot out of all of them...

overflow flowing

this could be an album cover

this was a crane that flew overhead while strolling the lake bottom. don't always look down or you might miss the beauty up above.

Pipe Hunters

We took a trip to check out a glorious treasure only few have the love to explore, and search for. Many go to these lakes to experience the serenity of an open water mass, and a chance at a weekend vacation. For me, I see a different opporitunity. The chance to find hidden treasure. The best time to look is when the water is down, and the tourism is low. Nothing other than the word,"eureka" , could describe our find! We had found our 'glory hole'. It was a beautiful thing indeed. 24 feet of concrete happiness was quite a sight to behold, and the power of stoke was upon us. We were a little early in the season, but alas we had found it, and figured out our path to heaven. I'll be keeping an eye out, and soon we will be pasting stickers as high as we can reach.

They're Out There.....

When trying to reach a common ground, I've found that some hide behind the "cloak of stoke", and tell you what they think you want to hear. But in the end it just shows a lack of character, and a dissilusion of who they really are. I've learned to see these characteristics, and not put too much energy into them, cuz' in the end it only hurts their character and distorts the way people see them as a fellow human being. What you put out is what you get back. Stand strong for what you believe, and show some backbone! To say we can be friends and then act completely the opposite does nothing for your appearance. You should be proud of who you are and what you stand for.. Anything else just robs you of the one thing we're born with, and die with; honor....

we took a trip to the lake bottom. so quiet and peaceful.

my absolute favorite artist in the world is wrex cook. here are two paintings he did for two of the other most favorite people in my life...

andrew bird


frank zappa

I Need This Shirt...

Happy Holidays Everyone!!

ajax diner

RULES!

don't know what to get

the girl in your life?? how about a pink rifle

ronnie's hair

gets around

shorts vs pants

someone asked pringle how does he skate in tights and his response was "they're stretchy" haha

the thing i miss the most about the sessions out west, is the same feeling i get when i look at this picture. the kids of our friends already know what life's charms are all about...

support positive influential artists

max has some sort of twinkle in his eye that is channeled through his art. i feel that he is a peaceful positive influence in the life of the people that surround him. he is one of my favorites.

check out max lehman click here ---> maxdna

here is his latest work - titled "bubble headed bird brain"

before the empty

forjan gets a 50-50 over the deathbox

artsy skateparksy

ripped off from someone's facebook

more coverage, professional photos

click here --- > to check out trife street's official blog for more professional quality photos and captions like this one...

trifestyles of the rich and famous

we arranged to make a one day trip up to little rock, arkansas after making a trip up to visit the trife street crew and session their ramp (see previous post from last weekend). after a week of waiting and working, finally the weekend was here. a few of the guys came down to skate our local park on saturday. it was s fun chilly session on the eve of our trek up northwestern way.

the obligatory cell shot before getting on the road... wrex and mike check the tire pressure after we get some gas heading out to memphis to meet up with our tourguides an early start at 6:30 in the morning...


we get to the memphis crew house dubbed "trife street" about 8 am... good to see that these dudes are ready to hit the road, there's nothing worse than hopping to go with laggers... anyway after some cranky interrupted morning dumps and general razzing of their crew babyface, jack, we load up the cars with boards, bags and buttocks and hit the road. on the way out, we got to see the new location of the diy spot, altown version 2.0. looks rad... at the end of their street with lots of potential for creation.

wrex and i hopped in bambei jeep along with tino and mike. we stop about an hour out of memphis and see this piece of do-rag radness at the chester chicken gas station


the plan was to hit kanis first for a couple of hours and then the dreamland park afterwards... luckily for us, we're along for the ride and up for whatever comes up...

local sweeper in the diy


a lot of diy stuff has been going on over the past few years since my last visit there...seriously creative stuff going on....









the bowl is super rough and slick, but super fun. this is not for the "pampered by smooth concrete" skateboarder. this bowl was built in the 80s by a local contractor. considering these guys weren't skateboarders (if i remember the history correctly), i think they did a pretty good job... if the bowl was swept and mopped, it probably would be 10 times better, however, you skate what you got before you and you have a good time.


fart panda showing the scumline some love


there is some awesome skatepark graffiti along the decks here as well...






PUNK WALL ACTION

bambei lien to tail


wrex bs disaster


one of three things wrex can do anywhere and on anything: rocknroll





VARIOUS OTHER ACTION

this is the only photo of taylor, pivot


jack, i'm not sure this was a make in the punkwall pocket


the crew watches as wrex pushes pushes to taste test some diy crete


wrex 5-0s the jersey barrier pocket


of course naturally when you go visit an old friend's local spot, you gotta give them a ring and a how do ya do, come skate with us. hence, the detour in our plans to hit up spent the rent kent's ramp for some weiners and a ramp session...

his place is pretty sick... up a giant hill we drove into the woods, u know it's quiet and peaceful up here, away from little rock city life overlooking a wheat field, his ramp rests...










thanks kent, family and friends for the hospitality!!!

after the ramp, we went to a dimly lit north little rock park which was amazing!! however, with few lights, it was impossible to take full advantage of this lovely concrete dreamland creation... we all decided that another trip up soon is due, and this park would be the focus of our attention.

all in all, the trip was extremely awesome, hard to put into words. but if you can relate, u know what i'm talking about...

thanks memphis crew for getting us out and up that way. looking forward to our next trek with the crew!!! keep it trife...